PRATAP VILAS PALACE NP (Vadodara)

 palace, academic institution

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This Palace is also known as Lalbaug Palace and was built in 1914 A.D. and is designed in Renaissance architecture. The entrance is adorned by exquisite carvings and the palace is noted for its architectural grandeur highlighted with columns and arches. Carvings of creepers, flowers, leaves, birds and animals on the columns make the palace lively. It has columns and arches drawn from South India, Central India, North India and Islamic tradition.
Pratap Vilas Palace, located near Lal Baug, was named after the last ruler of Baroda State. It was designed by Charles F. Stevens, son of F.W. Stevens, a British Architect who designed the Victoria Terminus in Mumbai. The Palace complex has an area of around 55 acres with well laid out gardens and large number of trees. Maharaja Sayajirao built this Palace for his eldest son Fatehsingrao who had recently married. Its construction was started on 15th February 1908. This is same year when last ruler of Baroda State, Pratapsinghrao was born and his father Fatehsingrao died.

When Baroda state merged with the Union of India, this Palace was ceded to the Union and was given to the Railways for establishment of the Railway Staff College now known as 'The National Academy of Indian Railways' or 'Bharatiya Rail Rashtriya Akademy' (in Hindi)